Love Me Like You Do
by AnnaTom23
Summary: Running for so long, you forget what it's like to actually live. So you hold onto the memories of your happy time and try to move on but for Caroline that's impossible. Because the man she is running from is the man with whom she has all those happy times. She wants to escape and doesn't think of the consequences but when Klaus finds her, what will she do?(VERY DARK & MATURE)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **Warning: This story will feature dark content and some violence. If you can't handle, don't read.**

Caroline smiled as the Miami sun shone on her face. She felt like, after _so long_ , she could breathe freely. She could feel rush of blood in her veins and the air as she inhaled it within her lungs. She had been running for so long yet it was the only time she felt free.

There was a time when traveling had been her dream but now it was her survival. It was her life. She had spent a year on the run from the person she loved most and he was the very person who had betrayed her and broken her heart.

She still regretted the time she didn't heed her mother's warnings about Klaus.

" _I don't think you should get involved with Klaus Mikaelson. He has a very bad reputation" Liz warned her once she saw her daughter hanging out with Klaus in the Grille. "You deserve better, Caroline" she'd used to add._

 _Obviously, being the ever-optimistic person she was, Caroline always laughed it off saying, "He's just got a bad rep mom. It's not like he's a criminal" she had joked._

But what she didn't expect was him _actually_ being a criminal. A deadly criminal at that. She should've known that he was too beautiful and too perfect to be true. He would always act like the perfect gentleman with her. Always hold open the doors for her, always call her pretty and kiss her knuckles like an 18th century nobleman.

However, it was after their friendship and a few months into their relationship that she started recognizing the changes in him.

First came his possessiveness.

He'd always call her ' _his'_ in public or when talking to someone like she was some possession and not a person. He would also make her scream out his name whenever they were in bed.

But she considered them all signs that he was too attached to her. Until she noticed the bite marks he left on her shoulder, the hickeys on her neck and the bruises of his fingers on her arms.

All her suspicions were 100% confirmed when he gave her a necklace with the initials ' _KM_ '.

Second came his overprotective nature.

He'd always demand from her to tell him if she ever left her house. If someone came over, she had to text him or call to tell him. If she ever felt like there was something she needed after it was dark outside, she would never go out to get it herself. She would _always_ call him.

Wherever she went, she _had_ to tell him.

One night, she had accidently bumped her car into another. After that Klaus had taken away her car and told her to always tell him to pick her or drop her. She had been so _irrevocably_ in love with him that she had complied with his whims.

Third came his jealousy.

She had left her phone at home one day and went to the Grille to study and exchange notes with Tyler. Her ex-boyfriend who happened to be one of her closest friends throughout high school. When Klaus had seen the two of them there, he had all but dragged her away from there and glared down at her the whole way home as if she had killed someone's puppy for sport.

She had gone to a nightclub with Elena and Bonnie once. They met a couple of _friends_ over there. Bonnie and Elena were practically dry humping the two guys from the group leaving Caroline with a poor guy who felt incredibly uncomfortable. Even though, the both of them had done nothing but pass each other small smiles and make awkward small talk Klaus had been furious when he'd found out. He had ordered her via text message to come to the ladies restroom and had fucked her against the door restlessly until she had cried out her apology for even looking at any other guy that was _not him_.

Last was his anger.

His anger was one thing that was clear to her even in the beginning of their friendship. He was an angry person because he had a traumatized past and Caroline always gave him a free pass when he broke things or shouted but the free pass didn't extend when he started focusing his anger on her.

It started when he was angry at something and he had thrown a bottle of bourbon on the wall, which smashed right next to her head. Later that night, he had held her and whispered so many apologies in her ear that she had actually believed that it was a onetime occurrence.

But as their relationship progressed, his anger started showing more often too. He would often grab her so harshly that his fingers would be printed on her creamy skin for days. Then when he was angry _at her,_ he started pushing her against walls, shoving her here and there and then one day he choked the life out of her.

Of course, he never really hit her. So he whenever she told him that he hurt her, he'd always deny it upfront saying.

" _I was angry that's all. But I've never raised my hand at you Caroline"_

… So she tried like a mature and responsible person to end the relationship on relatively better terms because there was nothing good between them left. She had politely asked him to come over and they sat together in the living room when she had said. _"I think we should break up_ "

He had, in return, stared at her for a couple of seconds before narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "No"

After that the worst thing that could've happened, happened. Liz Forbes died. Caroline had been devastated and Klaus, even though evil, had been considerate enough and helped her through the grief of losing her mother even though he didn't believe in a parent's love since he had never received it.

That was what Caroline thought, though. Klaus, however, had only been marking up Caroline during her mother's death. He held her during the day, at night, stood by her side at the funeral and then at the wake. He even helped her in organizing everything.

She had thought they were polite, _friendly_ gestures. However, in Klaus' mind, they were boyfriend responsibilities.

A week later, he had demanded that she move over into his mansion and live with him. She had scoffed and slammed the door in his face, refusing all his 'friendly gestures'. The next morning, she had woken up in an unfamiliar room worried because she had definitely slept in her own bedroom the night before.

She later got to know that Klaus had sedated her while she was already sleeping and brought her into his mansion.

After that, her life had literally been hell.

She shook her head as she reached her apartment. She walked in and locked the front door behind her. She took off her shoes and bag, placing them by the door. "Honey I'm home!" she called out loudly as she walked into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Oh that's right. I forgot I'm on the run and I don't have time for a _honey._ My bad" she said out loud, shaking her head. She was talking to herself. Again.

She was sure she was going to go mad in another couple of years.

She grasped the remote and sat down in front of the TV. She watched the local news for about twenty minutes and sighed in relief when she saw that there was nothing suspicious going on. No murders, kidnappings, killings, torture or anything.

Which meant Klaus was still far away.

She sighed because she knew that even though Klaus was not here now, she would have to leave very soon. She could never stay in one place for too long. Though she was really loving Miami. In the beginning she had come here only to trick Klaus but now she was actually beginning to like it here.

She had a nice, cozy apartment, wonderful neighbors, a good job and she felt safe.

Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already past eight so she snuggled onto her couch, too lazy to go to her bedroom, and fell into comfortable sleep.

Klaus swirled the liquid in his crystal glass as he gazed into the fireplace in front of him. The sound of the door opening and closing barely fazed him. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. "What do you want Stefan?" he asked, almost tiredly.

The man in question stood next to Klaus and placed a manila folder in his lap. "I just came to give you today's pictures" he answered but from his tone Klaus knew that he had more to say.

Klaus opened the folder and glanced through the pictures. Everything was the same. His beautiful, little Caroline living her life in Miami thinking she had led him astray when she had fallen right into his trap. Did she honestly think she could escape him?

"We've been sitting here for two weeks now. What do you want to do?" Stefan asked as he saw his friend's gaze fix on the blonde girl in the photographs. Stefan was Klaus' childhood friend and had stood by his side through everything. It was the first time though that he felt bad for helping his friend ruin someone's life.

He had met Caroline and spent quite some time with her. She was a bright, young girl who deserved so much more than the life Klaus could give her. He had seen Klaus' behavior with her too. As much as Klaus loved her, his love was tough love.

But she was always patient with him and went along with most of his whims. Stefan could easily see her as the light in his friend's dark world. However, the sympathy he felt for Caroline was not more than his loyalty to Klaus.

"We wait" Klaus' voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked down to see Klaus gazing intently at a picture of Caroline curled up on her couch.

Stefan sighed. "She has no one here, Nik" he explained trying to use a softer tone. "She didn't make any friends or anything if that's what you're thinking…" he trailed off, shrewdly.

"She better have no one" Klaus growled back and took a huge gulp of his drink. He dropped the glass to the floor lazily and once again focused his gaze on the pictures. She looked so innocent and attractive in each one of them, thinking that she had evaded the big bad wolf.

She would never be free of him. She was _his_. And soon enough she would know it too.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Stefan prompted, losing his own patience.

Klaus stood up and towered over his friend. "I'm waiting for the moment when she least expects me to show up. When she's settled and made herself a life here. Only then will I strike when it hurts her the most…" he was cut off by his friend this time.

"And then what? She'll leave again. You know it" Stefan countered knowingly.

Klaus laughed at that. There was something in the sound that was so wrong that it sent a shiver down Stefan's back. It was cruel, merciless and maniacal. "She won't run. Not after I'm done with her here. She'll willingly come back, home, to me" he replied confidently with a smirk on his face.

"Don't do something you'll regret. You love her and she loves you. You're both just going through a rough patch. Don't turn it into something more than that" he cautioned carefully, knowing that Klaus had the habit of pushing people, who cared most about him, away.

Klaus' eyes flashed with anger and irritation. "She's the one who started this when she left!" he growled remembering the unfortunate night just like yesterday.

 _He groaned out loud as he found his release and fell on top of Caroline who was panting just as hard as him. He pushed himself off her onto the mattress but pulled her on top of him so that she was half laying on him, half on the bed. He wrapped his one arm around her waist and stroked her hair with the other._

" _I love you" she whispered quietly before she closed her eyes and lay down with a sigh. Klaus watched her for a couple of moments as he always used to after they made love, before he switched off the lamp on his bedside and pulled her close._

" _I love you too sweetheart"_

 _He had only fell asleep for a little while or so it seemed when he felt her wriggling out of his arms. He grumbled under his breath and squinted his eyes to see Caroline sitting up in bed. "What is it?" he asked groggily._

" _Sorry to wake you up. I'm just hungry" she mumbled back and got out of the bed, quickly pulled on his shirt that was thrown on the floor. "Go back to sleep" she said and she looked around for shoes._

 _Klaus muttered something under his breath. "Be back within ten min- he had barely completed his sentence when he felt something hard slam into the back of his head. He let out a little grunt in pain and felt his eyes fluttering but he clearly made out the soft kiss Caroline placed on his cheek and her murmured apology._

" _I'm sorry"_

He snapped out of the horrific memory when Caroline had not only left him but had also crushed his pride under her feet.

"It's a tough life we live Nik. Maybe she's not fit for it" Stefan suggested meekly, knowing that his suggestion of his had already earned him a black eye and a broken rib a few months back.

Klaus glared him and Stefan could see the fire and the anger flashing in his stormy grey eyes. "She is more than fit for it. She is a queen" he hissed petulantly. " _My Queen"_ he murmured darkly.

"So what are you waiting for?" He asked pushing him to his limit. "If this time Elijah, Kol or Rebekah ask, I'm not going to lie" Stefan told him holding his hands up in surrender.

It was yet another thing that made Klaus desire Caroline even more. His family had taken an immediate liking to her and stood up for her like she was blood. Rebekah, who usually hated everyone else who competed for attention, loved Caroline dearly like a sister which made things smoother for him.

Elijah kept grooming her in a way an older brother would've. He sometimes gifted her books to read and then after she was through the book, they would debate about it through their own literary point of views.

Kol and Caroline's relationship, however, Klaus did not approve of. Kol was too friendly with Caroline for his liking. He'd joke around with her too openly and she would do the same in return although she was much more careful in his presence. They would often go out to cause trouble together like ditching the security he had entailed for the both of them. He didn't worry much about Kol since he was more than capable of protecting himself but Caroline was young and _so tiny_ she could barely fend off any unwanted attention.

Then there was also the incident at the ridiculous Christmas dinner that Caroline had forced him to attend with his family, where Kol had kissed Caroline deliberately to spite him. When Klaus was two steps away from ripping his liver out, he had innocently pleaded to Caroline that he had only kissed her to follow the tradition of the mistletoe. The blonde being herself had forgiven Kol and Klaus didn't get the pleasure of killing his brother.

"Then don't. I'm not answerable to any one of them" he replied grimly and annoyed that Stefan thought his siblings would scare him away from taking Caroline.

Stefan sighed. "Kol will hint her off" he pointed out but it was more of a caution than a discouragement.

Klaus smiled slightly. "I know" he said and his lips twitched again but he busied himself with filling his glass.

The Salvatore frowned, coming closer to his friend. "What are you planning?" he asked curiously.

Klaus brought the glass to his lips to hide his growing smirk and gulped down the liquid in one go. "Good night Stefan" he simply said before turning back to the photographs. He heard Stefan sighing behind him and leaving the room but his eyes were fixated on the pictures of his _Queen._ He couldn't wait to see her again. In person.

"Sweetie don't put the pencil in your mouth" Caroline cooed softly as she saw a student of hers putting a color pencil in his mouth. "Travis. Pencil out." She said a bit more firmly and watched as the three year old pouted but did as she told.

This was probably the toughest part of her job. Telling kids to do things they didn't want to and then they got sad. Other than that, she _absolutely_ loved being a teacher. The kids in Kindergarten were all so loving, sweet and innocent that she instantly felt connected to them and hence to her job.

Her attention was turned back when she felt a sloppy tap of her shoulder. She turned and saw a little girl with blonde pigtails looking at her with a bright smile. "Hey Emma! What have you got there?" Caroline asked as she glanced down at the white paper in the girl's hands.

"I made it for you" the girl replied. "Will you put it on your fridge?" she asked shyly.

Caroline smiled widely and nodded. "Of course I will! Now why don't you show me what it is?" she asked and watched as the girl turned the paper over very slowly and dramatically. "I'm sure it's beautiful like the last one" she said and winked.

It was another painting of a flower with multicolor petals, signed at the end in a bright purple color.

"Wow! This is so pretty. I might even get it framed" Caroline said and watched as Emma clapped happily before running off murmuring, 'I'll make you another one'

She then turned back to Travis who sat before her with his eyes firmly trained on her. He frowned in concentration and then looked down at the two color pencils he had placed on the plastic table. "Is your hair yellow or golden?" he asked seriously.

Caroline's eyebrows shot up. "What?" she asked, hoping she'd heard him wrong.

"Your hair? I'm going to draw you" he concluded determinedly. Caroline pursed her lips to compose her laughter and smiled encouragingly instead. "I think I'll mix both of them" he drawled himself as he set the task of drawing his favorite teacher.

She gave him a soft laugh in response and propped her elbows on her knees, posing for him as she placed her chin in her palm. She knew she must have looked ridiculous sitting in those plastic, kiddie chair but she stayed still for five minutes in which Travis was done.

"I'm done" he announced proudly and held out his sketch for her to see.

Just as Caroline was about to respond to his artistic skills, there was a knock on the classroom door. Caroline looked at the wall clock. It was still just ten o clock which meant no parents would be here to pick up their children. She shrugged and walked over to the door, opening it to see her worst nightmare.

One of Klaus' men. Shit! She should've known she would be caught. She was no professional criminal, used to running, while the person she was running from practically ran a mafia crime ring.

The man, however, didn't notice Caroline's wary expression and gave her a polite smile as if she didn't know who he was. "Hi. I'm sorry to bother you Miss Forbes. I'm Alex Branson" he lied expertly and held out his hand for her to shake. "I'm the new teacher here" he explained and Caroline gave him a weak smile before placing her hand in his, planning to play along till she found the right moment to escape.

"The Principal told me to find you and ask for guidance. I'm kind of a lost deer around here" he joked and laughed awkwardly. Caroline would've scoffed if it wouldn't have blown off her cover. Instead she gave him an indulgent smile.

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to help you. I have my own class going on" she replied gesturing back towards the classroom and when her eyes met the eyes of her little students who were playing around without a care in the world, she couldn't help but think that this was the last time she was ever going to see them again.

While it broke her heart, she knew this was her life and it was what she needed to do to survive.

"I'm sure Mrs. Robinson can help you. She's just down the hall to your right" Caroline spoke up too quickly at which the man raised his eyebrow. "I'm a little busy at the moment" she said instead gesturing back to her students.

The man gazed at her quietly for about a minute or two before his face broke into a smile. "Of course. I'm sorry to have disturbed you" he said politely but from the way he was clenching his jaw, Caroline knew that he hadn't been expecting this bump in the road. "It was nice meeting you though" he said before slightly bowing his head and turning away.

Caroline clenched her fists knowing that he was, most probably, headed to Klaus right now. She turned her back on him only to get into the class and run out of the window, most probably, when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

He turned her around and slammed her into the closed door, making her wince.

"I tried to do this the easy way bitch" he growled angrily. His grip on her was harsh which made Caroline extremely angry. "Now are you going to come with me like a good girl or am I going to have to do this my way?" he questioned tauntingly.

The last sentence made her even angrier. What did he think she was? Some weak girl who couldn't protect herself?

She scowled at him and slammed her head into his nose, catching him off guard. He stumbled back, clutching his nose. He pulled back his fingers to see blood there and clutched his now- _broken_ nose. "You bitch!" he cried out in pain.

Seething, she moved forward and pulled him down by his neck and brought her own knee up, kneeing him _exactly_ where it would hurt the most. He stumbled back and dropped to the ground in a fetal position trying to ease his pain, somehow.

Without saying a word to him, she opened the door of her classroom. "Everyone stays inside. Okay? No one is going to come outside until someone comes and gets you" Caroline told them all loud and clear with a certain firmness in her that had all the children nodding.

She closed the door and saw the man still lying on the ground, moaning in pain. She flipped her hair and started running towards the teacher's lounge. She had to get her car keys and get out of here while she still had the chance.

She could hear the man shouting for backup and that made her feet run faster. As soon as she saw the door for the teacher's lounge, she burst the door open and shut it behind her. She locked it instantly and leant against the door with closed eyes.

"I was wondering when you'd show up"

It was the voice that made Caroline's skin crawl and her eyes flew open, out of their own accord. There he sat in the middle of the room, which was completely wrecked now that she noticed, like some king waiting for criminals to be presented in his court.

Not criminal. _Prisoner._

It was what she was, what she felt like. A prisoner. "Klaus" her voice as strong as she hoped for it to be, came out as a gasp.

A year ago, she would've smiled at the sight of him. But now, it only made her eyes water a little because of fear and anguish of what he would do to her.

He smiled maniacally. "Hello Caroline" he greeted and bowed his head slightly. "It's nice to see you after such a long time" he said sarcastically as if they were friends who had lost contact and hadn't remained in touch.

"Sorry I can't say the same" she retorted crossing her arms over her chest. It only made Klaus' smirk widen.

He chuckled whole heartedly but didn't move from his spot, sure that she wouldn't try to run. "I'm glad to see your wit still intact after so long" he said and then his expression turned serious. "It was a clever move. Coming here. I never pegged you for a girl who liked the heat" he commented looking towards the window on his side, gazing at the sun through it.

"Apparently not clever enough" Caroline mumbled under her breath. "You don't know me well enough to _peg me_ for any sort of girl" she spat, rolling her eyes.

Klaus turned to look at her sharply and it was only then that Caroline noticed the knife in his hands. It was stained red.

"What did you do?" she asked warily as her hands shook slightly. "What did you do Klaus?" she questioned more angrily and more firmly.

He stood up instantly and narrowed his eyes at her. " _Mind your tone!_ " he warned her as his eyes flashed with anger. When she shut up, his expression softened just a bit. He took a step towards her but she backed away from him. "Now now sweetheart. Let's not act like strangers" he cooed teasingly before stepping towards her again. This time, however, when she moved her back hit the door behind her.

She looked behind her and when her eyes came back to meet him, he was standing right in front of her. She gasped inaudibly at the lack of distance between them.

He reached up and took a tendril of her hair, playing with it. "What am I going to do with you?" he questioned out loud, talking more to himself than anyone else. He sighed deeply as he twisted a curled strand around his finger and then locked eyes with his cold eyes with her own terrified eyes.

 _What was he going to do with her?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **A/N: SORRY FOR THE WAIT GUYS! I've been losing my Klaroline inspiration ever since this Steroline stuff has started and don't even get me started on Aurora. :'( #KLAROLINEISETERNAL**

Caroline didn't know how many days had passed exactly since she had been locked but she knew one thing, for sure.

She was _starving_.

She hadn't eaten a thing since Klaus had caught her. He had dragged her straight home ( _his home, of course)_ and locked her in the basement. The special thing about the basement was that there was a special room built downstairs for her.

 _For her punishment._

It was a tiny, pure white room with no windows or opening of any sort except two doors. One which led to the even more cramped bathroom and the other was the way out but it didn't have a doorknob on the inside. Only one of the outside.

 _For his control._

As much as she hated it, she knew there was no way out of this. She just had to endure the punishments he sent her way long enough to find a way out of this hellhole again. But she had to be honest with herself, this was only the beginning. She had no idea what he would do next but she was sure it would be something sinisterly dramatic.

She honestly blamed herself for all this. She should've seen the signs, the warnings that everyone gave her when she first started going out with him.

 _No. It wasn't her fault._

Who would've guessed that her overprotective, possessive and angry boyfriend would turn out to be a freaking drug dealing, murderer?

She sighed out loud and let her head loll to the side tiredly as she breathed heavily and tried to stop her eyelids from drooping. Her head rested against the wall as she hugged her knees tighter to her chest and tried to keep her strength together.

She just hoped that Elijah and the others would find her soon. She didn't know if she could take it any longer. All this torture and then _his_ mind games in which he tried to manipulate her into thinking that it was her fault for leaving him when it wasn't.

She knew she could count of Elijah, Kol and Rebekah but she also knew that if Klaus wanted, he could kill her and be done with it, without anyone even knowing.

Just when she thought that she could close her eyes and rest for a moment, the door opened and in walked the devil himself, immaculately dressed in his usual grey Henley and dark jeans. The door closed behind him and he dragged over a chair to the corner where she was huddled against the wall and settled himself in it, watching her with a smirk.

"Sweetheart" he greeted. His voice too jovial for any sort of sane person.

Caroline barely spared him a glance, choosing to close her eyes and let the wall support her weight. "Asshole" she muttered under her breath.

She heard him chuckling before he moved his hand to skim across the soft skin of her cheek. Using the last remains of energy in her, she scoffed and moved away from his touch.

Fuming at her stubbornness, Klaus leaned forward balancing his elbows on his knees as he tried to force her to look at him. "Why do you fight me, sweetheart? You know that there's no way _out_ of this. Just accept the truth- he was cut off when she suddenly coughed up a bitter laugh.

"Accept it?" she asked, incredulously. "Accept _what_?" she sneered at him, hatefully glaring him. "This _forced_ , fake relationship we have going on?" she questioned angrily, not caring even if he banged her head against the wall. She needed to vent.

"You know well enough, this isn't forced. You want me as much as I want you" he hissed, forcefully jerking her chin towards him. His breath hitting her face as hard as her words, which were as sharp as daggers. "Correct me if I'm wrong, _love_ , but you were the one who approached me and then promised that you would always stay by my side" he reminded her, cruelly not caring his fingers left bruises on her face.

"That was before I knew who you were" she tried to defend herself meekly, knowing that he would always win their arguments. No matter what. "You lied to me- she started, feeling a tiny spark in her as she felt her own anger rising.

He cut her off, before she could continue her ranting though, effectively blocking out all her arguments. "And you betrayed me, leaving in the middle of the night like a little thief" he said, looking at her with stern eyes that blazed with anger and fury.

"You wouldn't have let me go any other way!" she argued back, struggling to get out of his hold. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye as she remembered the day their relationship actually took its first fall.

 _The night was silent except for the occasional roar of the thunder outside the window and the crackling of the fire burning in the inglenook._

 _Klaus lifted his head and kept his eyes trained on Caroline who was sobbing, quietly, in the corner of the room with her arms wrapped around herself. She had been in the same state since the last twelve hours. But he was thankful that she had grown out of her screaming phase._

 _Ever since the truth of his work had been revealed to her, she had cried, screamed and raged at him in every way possible. Chucking the vase at him, calling him a liar and a manipulator and he had easily listened to her, bearing everything but enough was enough now._

 _He was quickly getting irritated by her behavior._

" _Caroline, get up and wash your face. Enough of this crying" he ordered, in a cold and harsh manner._

 _Caroline hiccupped slightly and looked up from her arms to glare him, vehemently._

 _With a loud sigh, he shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I've been enduring your dramatic out lash since yesterday. It's quite enough now, I believe" he said, sternly, which only served to fuel her anger._

 _She scoffed at his words and kept the scowl on her face, as she replied him with her most bitter tone. "Excuse me for being upset when I just found out that you're a killer!" she accused him vehemently._

 _At that he shook his head. "Don't you think you're being a tad overdramatic sweetheart?" he asked, almost wincing when he saw her hurl a shoe at his direction. He easily caught it, though, but it was a rather harsh blow to his self esteem and ego._

" _Caroline!" he growled out in warning._

" _Klaus!" she spat back, in revulsion, as she helplessly tried to stop the angry tears from rolling down her cheeks._

" _You're testing my patience, love…" his voice was low and threatening. While to others it might seem like he was calm but she knew better. It was exactly the calm before the storm._

 _Standing up suddenly, she glared him. "I don't give a fuck about your patience" she hissed at him, feeling anger course through her veins. "I'm through with this…" she said, determined to leave but all she took was one step towards the door when she found herself in front of the wall, with her back colliding with the hard surface making her groan._

 _She looked down to see her wrist in Klaus' tight grip. "Let go- her demand was cut off by him._

" _Utter one more word about leaving and I will make you regret ever even thinking about it" he growled lowly next to her ear, bunching her hair in his other hand. "You are mine. When you gave yourself to me that night, you submitted to me out of your own free will. It's too late to change your mind now" he whispered in her ear menacingly. "It will be better for you, if you get this nonsense out of your head that you'll be getting out of here anytime soon" he advised her and then let go of her hair, rubbing only a lock of it between his forefinger and thumb._

" _You… you can't do that!" Caroline spluttered in panic as she gazed at his dark eyes which were only filled with gloom and a certain coldness that sent shivers down her back._

 _He smiled at her tenderly and stroked her cheek. "Yes I can sweetheart" he cooed her, enjoying how innocent she looked with the confusion settled in her eyes. "Besides, where will you go if you leave me?" he asked, almost tauntingly reminding her again and again that she didn't have anyone. "Your mother is dead" he reminded her cruelly, as if she could ever forget. "She is gone and you have no one but me" he added, like adding salt to her wound._

 _There was silence in the room as Caroline let the words sink in. He was right. Where would she go? She had nothing. No one!_

 _Her mother was gone and her dad had never really been interested in her or her life having walked out too early. She had her friends but how long could they really risk their lives for her? Not that she wanted them to do it, anyway._

 _When she turned to look at him, her eyes shone with desperation and anguish. Tears leaked down her eyes so easily that it seemed like he had really broken her. "I HATE YOU!" she yelled loudly as she pounded her fists repeatedly against his hard chest as he brought her into his embrace._

 _Klaus hardly felt her tiny fists punching him so he simply let her vent out her frustration and energy until she got tired and then he picked her up like a rag doll and deposited her on the bed, carefully. Tucking her into the covers, he bent down and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Sleep, sweetheart. You have to be up early tomorrow. Rebekah's coming" he told her in a soft voice which she barely heard instead replaying his words in her head._

' _You have no one but me'_

"Things could've been so different if you had only cooperated back then" Klaus said, snapping both of them out of their memories.

His loud, accusatory sigh made Caroline do a double take on his words. "You wanted me to cooperate on what? On you being- her angry rant was again cut off by him.

"On being _me_?" he asked, incredulously. "This _is_ me Caroline! _You_ accepted me. I told you that once you gave yourself to me, there would be no going back" he interjected in an accusatory tone, reprimanding her.

"Well you should've told me the truth before making me, promise that" she argued back, trying to prove her point.

At that, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back into the chair. "So had I told you that I wasn't as honest about my profession – _at which Caroline scoffed loudly but he ignored her and carried on_ – would you have left me?" He questioned with his eyes wide open. Just as she opened her mouth to answer, he continued on and added the one doubt in her mind which had her frozen. "Would you have fallen _out of love_ with me?" he asked, almost tauntingly.

Caroline opened and closed her mouth, unable to answer him. She knew she could leave him but could she actually fall out of love with him? Even though, he was the true monster, the closest thing present to a devil.

Taking her silence as her answer, Klaus sat down right in front of her and caressed her cheek, tenderly. "Why make this any harder than it needs to be?" he asked softly, taking advantage of her shocked, delirious state. "I hate punishing you like this. I know you're hurting right now but you can make it all end." At the end of that statement, Caroline looked towards him with hopeful eyes which were glistening with desperation.

"All you have to do is ask, love"

Without even thinking twice, Caroline answered him in a swift move. "I don't want to stay here. _Please_ " she whimpered, knowing that if she stayed here any longer, she would go crazy.

The evil, dimpled smile that he gave her in return made her almost take back her words. _Almost._

The clicking of heels made both the brothers stop. They shared a look before sighing loudly. "Yes Bekah? To what do we owe this _lovely_ visit of yours?" the younger one asked sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

The blonde in question glared her brother and went to stand next to her older brother. "With the time you spend with Elijah, one would think you would've learned some manners by now Kol" Rebekah mocked, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Enough. Both of you" Elijah said, tiredly but his firm voice had them both obeying.

"I'm here to ask why we're not doing anything for Caroline. Stefan said that Nik is closer to her than ever- her rambling was cut off by Kol.

"Newsflash for you and your lover boy sister. Caroline's already been found. She's with Nik in the compound" he informed her, pissed at Stefan who wasn't apparently as well informed as they all thought.

Rebekah gaped at his words but then planted her hands firmly on her hips. "What?" she questioned, in shock. "Why are we standing here then? We need to leave for New Orleans. You know that he will kill her"

Kol bristled at that. "Like hell he will"

"Children" Elijah admonished calmly. "He will do _no_ such thing. He cares for her too much to do so" he ensured them, confidently. "Regardless, we are heading to New Orleans tomorrow morning. No need to worry. We'll have her with us when we get back- his sentence was cut off by Rebekah who glared them.

"If you lot think I'm not going with you, you have another thing coming" she sneered, rolling her eyes.

Elijah sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's not safe" he told her, seriously.

"Nik would never hurt me" Rebekah replied self-assuredly. No matter how hurt or angry her brother was he would never really hurt her. She was sure of that.

"Suit yourself, darling, but if anything happens at the end of the day, we won't be held responsible" Kol chimed in, shrugging as he made his way towards the door. "And be sure to tell Stefan that he's not getting paid for lacking around. Caroline's been caught since three days. If we'd only left it to him, she'd be dead right now" he commented casually but Elijah and Rebekah both could detect the worry and unease in his voice.

They didn't know _why_ but Kol and Caroline had always shared a more special bond than anyone else. Even though, their feelings weren't romantic in nature yet the closeness in their relationship was sometimes unsettling.

"I can take care of myself." Rebekah responded, not giving the slightest bit of attention to her younger brother. "Well, I'll be here in the morning. I have to get some stuff for our journey" she told them, bafflingly.

Elijah frowned at that. "What could be so important?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Clothes, of course! I doubt Caroline has worn or even _seen_ the latest edition of Gucci" she gushed, shaking her head in disappointment and disapproval. "Poor thing" she muttered, pitying the other blonde.

"Yes. Being on the run does that to you" Kol piped in, sarcastically earning himself a hard nudge as Rebekah pushed past him.

"I'll see you both tomorrow" she mumbled bossily before stuttering away in her high heels.

Elijah and Kol sighed loudly, shaking their heads in disappointment. They should've known better than to think that they would be able to keep their baby sister here as they went to play the role of hero.

When Caroline had said that she didn't want to stay downstairs in that punishing room, she didn't mean that she wanted to say in Klaus' room either. But apparently, it was one or the other. So when he had led her back to _their_ room, she hadn't found the energy in herself to protest. She'd let him put her to bed like a little girl and she'd also let him tuck her in bed.

Even though, he was a monster most of the times, he had taken the hint and left her alone. For which she was immensely grateful. She'd immediately fell asleep, snuggling deeper into the comfort of the warm covers.

Hours later, she had woken up to a knock on the door. She only had the chance to sit up straight in bed before two maids inside and behind them was Klaus who entered with a rather smug smirk on his face.

"Good morning, sweetheart"

His cold voice made shivers run down her spine.

 _So he was back to being 'clueless' Klaus again._

"You've been asleep for quite some time" he said as he made his way to sit next to her on the edge of the bed as one of the maids set a tray of breakfast on the bedside table and the other opened the curtains to let the light in. "I came in earlier with food but you were sleeping soundly like a baby" he continued on as he brought his hand to her face and stroked her cheek, tenderly.

She pulled away from him and scrambled back only to have her back collide with the headboard of the bed.

"Now, sweetheart, don't be like that" he mocked, shaking his finger at her.

Caroline held out her hands in front of him. "Don't touch me" she hissed at him, glaring him.

"Are we back to this again?" Klaus asked, dryly, shaking his head to show his disapproval.

She chose to ignore him and not answer him this time. Klaus, for once, didn't try to force an answer out of her and gestured for the maids to leave.

"Miami was an interesting place for you to settle in" he said, casually as he lay down on the bed. "I never thought you would like the heat" he commented looking up at the ceiling of their bedroom.

She chose not to answer him again and continued to stare outside the window longingly. She could see the new installments of mental bars there but she chose not to let that make her feel like a caged animal.

Following her gaze, he saw her sight stuck on the bars and smirked. "That's a new addition I made to our room, considering your last attempt" he informed her as if she didn't know. "Don't worry. You can still open the windows to get plenty of air" he added, as if rubbing salt on her wounds.

"I wouldn't call it an attempt since I was successful last time" she retorted back, unable to help herself.

The way his eyes darkened, she knew she probably shouldn't have said that. "You took a job at the school" he said, ignoring his instinct to strangle her for bringing up her escape.

"I liked it" she murmured, absentmindedly, as she thought back to how much she enjoyed working with the children.

Klaus eyed the wistful smile on her face and he almost took back his decision to punish her at the hint of the smile on her face but then he remembered that she was smiling because she was _away from him._ Because she had left him.

She needed to remember that she belonged to him.

"I never knew you liked working with children…" he remarked, observing her every reaction.

Whatever trance she was in broke as his words registered in her mind. She turned to give him a cold glare, before scoffing. "You never did let me work so you _obviously_ wouldn't know" she said back sarcastically.

"You didn't need to work, sweetheart. You have all the money in the world" he said, gesturing around to the room but in general the luxury of _their_ life. "Besides I'm not sure if it was the work that attracted you there" he remarked vaguely making her look at him suspiciously.

Klaus smirked, enjoying the confusion on her face. It made her look so innocent. _Far too innocent for him, in fact._

"You loved the children, didn't you?" he asked, not quite asking since he knew it was true. He'd seen how happy she was working with them. "Don't worry, love. I may be a horrible man but hurting children is a bit far for me too" he joked but Caroline didn't laugh.

She didn't understand where this conversation was going until his next words.

"We could have them too, you know" he said almost shyly looking up at her through his lashes. "Kids, I mean" he elaborated, placing his hand on her knee. "We _should_ have kids" he reinstated, adding his own dominance to his earlier statement.

Caroline's eyes flew out of their sockets at his suggestion and at once she backed away from him. She only made it off the bed and two steps away when Klaus easily caught her by her arm.

"LET GO OF ME!" she shouted desperately as she started struggling against him. "Let go" she repeated as he brought her closer and wrapped his hands around her wrists, pulling her to him.

Klaus smirked at the reaction he finally got from her and tugged her closer to him. Once she was in his grip, he wrapped one arm around her waist and grasped her hair in the other making her gasp. "I'm starting to think that it's a great idea" he murmured pulling her hair harshly, making her cry out in pain. "At least if we have a child or two, you wouldn't be able to run and seeing you heavy with my child would just be another added benefit" he chuckled before smashing his lips to hers.

The kiss was only a portrayal of dominance and power play.

"If you do this, I'll never forgive you for this" Caroline cried out, as he dragged her back towards the center of the room and tossed her onto the bed. " _Please_ stop! _"_ she said, as she tried to back away on the bed.

Klaus stalked towards her, like a lion stalking its prey, and removed his shirt in the process, tossing it somewhere in the room. "You haven't left me much of a choice here, sweetheart" he said as he grasped her ankle and pulled her towards him on the bed.

He quickly ran his hands up and down her legs, relishing the feel of her soft skin. He almost rolled his eyes as he felt her hands tugging his own away.

 _The hard way, it is, then._

He grasped both her wrists in one hand and secured them together tightly with a piece of cloth lying on the bedside table and tied her hands above her head to the headboard of the bed.

" _Ahh! Stop!"_ She screamed at him, thrashing her legs around trying to get him to let her go but her weak form was hardly an inconvenience for him. He easily went his way up her body and slid the straps of her dress down her shoulders.

He brought them down till her upper arms but didn't remove her dress any further, letting it stay there, just barely covering her chest.

"Scream louder, love" Klaus encouraged smugly. "I want the whole world to know that you belong to me. That I _own_ you" he hissed, narrowing his eyes at her.

He swooped down to kiss her but she turned her head at the last moment and his lips landed on her cheek, tasting her salty tears. Finding her avoiding his touch only made him angrier and harsher.

"So this is what it has come to?" he snarled as her cries echoed in the room. "You don't want me to touch you?" he asked, as he looked at her crying face. When she didn't answer him, he grasped her face in his hands and squeezed her cheeks together painfully. " _ANSWER ME!_ " he roared angrily.

"No. I don't!" she cried out from the pain and also from the humiliation she was facing. "I don't want your touch. I don't want anything to do with you anymore!" she snapped at him, feeling the tears running down her cheeks and dripping to her chest. "You're an animal and that's all you'll ever be" she shouted out in her anger without realizing the effect her words would have on him.

Klaus let go of her and stood still, silently absorbing the pain and out lash of her words.

Caroline didn't know for how long, minutes or hours she wasn't sure, he stayed quiet and there was an eerie silence in the room. The sounds were of her quiet sobs and his heavy breathing. After what felt like eternity, there was the sound of rustling and suddenly, he was in her face again.

She flinched away, unconsciously, but he grabbed her face in his hand harshly while pulling her golden locks in his fist.

"You know, I've been kind, _forgiving,_ even. For you" he whispered harshly, deliberately rubbing his coarse stubble against her cheek. "But you don't deserve it. You don't deserve _any_ of my leniencies!" he spat at her, narrowing his eyes at her.

In one swift move, he hard-pressed her back on the bed with a violent push before standing up and fixing his clothes, as if he hadn't just shoved her like an animal.

"Rest all you want for tonight, Caroline" he spoke in a cold, calculating manner. "From tomorrow your hell starts and then days of our life from before your pitiful attempt will seem like absolute heaven" he sneered before walking out of the room and shutting the door with a loud smack, leaving her tied and utterly terrified to her core.


	3. NOTE

Hello, my darlings!  
Yes I am alive and kicking even if the world tries to bring me down. Lol.

So I woke up today to my boyfriend yelling in my ear that I've been nominated for the KC awards. I'd like to say, first of all, **THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

My lovely readers, your affection has never ceased to amaze me and it never will. All the gratitude I show for your love will never be enough because you've never let me down and I consider you all my family. :")

A lot of people told me not to get too attached to you all but you've proved them all wrong by showing your dedication and love.

Regardless of whether I win or not, I just want you to know that I am forever in your debt for all your support. Throughout my sickness and my bad days and my good days, you've all been there from the beginning and just like that, your messages and encouragements have given me strength to fight through and survive everything.

I have so much respect for each and every one of you who reviews. Even the negative reviews because they show me that, ultimate perfection can never be achieved.

Also, my reason for being AWOL was again my health and studies. I didn't notify anyone about it because I didn't want anyone to worry but I'm all good now. Good as new, hopefully. ;)

But I've been receiving everyone's messages and emails but I've been unable to respond. Thank you so much again for asking after me.

As for the updates, they are on their way and will be out in a couple of hours hopefully.

Go check out every one of the nominees and don't forget to vote. Everyone is loaded with talent and I'm in awe of their creativity.

Lastly, instead of spreading hate and disdain in a world where there's already so much cruelty and spite, show love and affection to everyone. A smile, a nice compliment or a kind gesture here or there to everyone you see or meet.

Lots of words and love,  
Anna xx


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